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Re: Maybe a fix for SHB!!!

I am glad you found out something.The news station never called or emiled me back,i tried 3 times.We need all the help we can on shb.Seems to be more this year and if a hive is a little weak its over.copper287

Re: Maybe a fix for SHB!!!

Her testing begs the question of sampling - would be interested to know. H202 is also toxic to bees, but so far the levels I'm feeding (1 oz 3% per quart) has not had any adverse effect on the bees themselves, other than they are sucking down feed as fast as I can put it on and I have not noticed any beetles since starting.

The underlying question remains if bees naturally produce more H202 as a defense against the SHB, or do SHB contribute themselves to H202 levels or is it totally dependant upon other factors, such as bloom, temperature, humidity.....

Altho H202 breaks down into water and oxygen, if I was in this to sell honey, I would be concerned about tainting. I'm going to keep it up on my first year hive thru spring feeding of '10 and see how they cope next beetle season.

I tend to agree that hive strength and maintenance is the best defense. I loved my top-hive entrance gizmo and I think the bees did too - being able to access all those undrawn frames without having to walk up all those crowded stairs - but so did the SHB.

The concentrated form either/or in liquid (35%) or powder might be a good ground treatment for pupae/larvae of a number of pests.

EAS Georgia Certified. "Tradition - Even if you have done it the same way for years doesn't mean that it is not stupid."

Re: Maybe a fix for SHB!!!

To update you on my project of feeding peroxide to control beetles, I opened my hive that I had treated and found several live adult beetles on top of the inner cover. It don't look like the peroxide treatment is working at this point of testing. I will update you if the issue changes.

Re: Maybe a fix for SHB!!!

Re: Maybe a fix for SHB!!!

Altho I haven't noticed any adverse situation with the bees, I have a gut feeling that H202 has little or no effect controlling SHB. The bees seem to take the feed fine, but sugar-water honey that foams in the mouth might not be the Macafe' of the next macdonald's marketing plan.

They are obviously attracted to the smell of honey and as we build up relatively unprotected stores above, they have free rein to establish themselves. Adding a new 9 or 10 frame honey super with top ventilation or entrance is not what we want to do.

A tight colony environment with lots of protection is, in a number of beeks opinion, the best defense. I have a vent box above my feeder that surpasses just proping the inner cover or telescoping outer up in that it doesn't allow any access to the unprotected hive below.

I had designed this as also a top entrance, but found many SHB running around inside, I closed the entrance and sealed the bottom and have only seen 1 since, and that is with the standard inner & telescoping cover over it.

The bees are crammed up feeding inside the screen of my box-top feeder, so I don't know if their near-presence abaits the beetles above, just reporting what I observe.

EAS Georgia Certified. "Tradition - Even if you have done it the same way for years doesn't mean that it is not stupid."

Re: Maybe a fix for SHB!!!

Hi Guys,

Just thought I'd put my 2 cents in. When I first set up my hives and had our local inspector to see them, he immediately recommended that I remove the inner covers. His opinion was that they were just one more spot for the SHB to hide, which does make sense to me. So, I have no inner covers and have had not problems with my telescoping lids being difficult to open. Not that this is stopping the darn beetles from invading, it just gives them fewer hiding places.

Deb

"Life is like riding a bike. It is impossible to maintain your balance while standing still."...Linda Brakeall

Re: Maybe a fix for SHB!!!

Re: Maybe a fix for SHB!!!

Lydia McCormick just sent me an abstract of her research for posting here.

Abstract:
Honeybees are the planet’s number one pollinator and, therefore, essential for our agricultural economy because plants depend on them for reproduction. Unfortunately, many health disorders can plague and devastate bee colonies. In the past five years, the small hive beetle (SHB) (Aethina tumida) has become a widespread problem, particularly in the Southeast. In Alabama, this menacing insect is now one of the most common invaders of bee colonies. While beekeepers have used a variety of non-toxic traps or chemical treatments to control SHB, it is also likely that honeybees have natural stress defenses. One possible chemical defense is hydrogen peroxide, produced by glucose oxidase, an enzyme secreted by bees into their honey. Previous observations (“The Effect of Honeybee Pathogens on H202 Content and Glucose Oxidase Activity in Honey”. Science Fair 2008) revealed that honey hydrogen peroxide concentrations were highest in beehives that had small hive beetle (SHB).

The hypothesis that higher hydrogen peroxide concentrations in honey may decrease SHB survival was tested. Groups of 3-5 SHB were incubated at room temperature in containers with cut comb, pollen, and experimental honey for up to 3 months. Nine different experimental H202 concentrations (ranging from 0 mg/ ml to 6000mg/ ml) were added to two different types of honey, natural (raw) versus store-bought. Furthermore, two specific controls were included: 1) a positive control in which the honey was heated to denature protein (enzymes) prior to adding 1600 mg/ ml H202, and 2) a negative control in which honey was pre-incubated with excess catalase to remove native H2O2. Results showed decreased SHB survival after 14 days at concentrations above 1600 mg/ ml H202. By 22-28 days, reduced survival was apparent at 400-800 mg/ ml. At 98 days, all groups showed beetle death, with concentrations above 100 mg/ ml being severely affected. Furthermore, qualitatively, at the lowest concentrations (between 0mg/ ml and 100 mg/ml) beetles showed the most feeding activity as evidenced by feces and chewed combs bits. There was no difference in survival regarding the two honey types. In conclusion, these results suggest that honey H202 may be a natural long-term defense against SHB.

Lydia McCormick - Jefferson County International Bacc.

I 'm not judgmental...... I 'm just unselfish with my knowledge that what you're doing is wrong.

Re: Maybe a fix for SHB!!!

Have not treated any bee hives for shb.I am finding them in some hives really bad,but the bees are keeping them in check.They are 2 hive that seem weird.NO shb can be found in them and the other hives have up to 20 that i can see and try to kill.They are in the woods to with the rest of the hives,but something has to be different.I just can't put my finger on it. copper287